Friday, August 26, 2011

How to Improve: Mathematics

Mathematics is everywhere in our lives. Every day that passes by, we can find ourselves calculating mathematics even outside of school. Adding numbers, counting, or any other calculation is the basis of fundamental mathematics. And because we are so exposed to mathematics, it is essential for us to be adept in doing simple mathematical calculations in order to live an easier life. And beyond that, mathematics exist in competitions and careers that test the greatest minds of mathematicians to push themselves beyond even the most complex maths.

The main problem for many people though, is that they learned to hate mathematics from bad teachers who either couldn't teach or went too fast for their pace. To remedy this problem, mathematics can be taught through self pace from a more capable teacher. The site, Khan Academy, is a culmination of a vast variety of instructional videos that includes and focuses on math. The founder, Salman Khan, is an excellent teacher that explains each topic very thoroughly throughout all of his lessons, and has helped millions of people achieve greater success in both school and life through his videos.

One of the greatest things about Khan Academy is that you truly learn at your own pace. You no longer the need to worry about someone looking down on you when you don't understand something, or worrying about bothering your teacher when their busy. The videos are short 20 minute lectures, and you can repeat them whenever you need to, so you never feel overwhelmed. Along with the videos, there are complimentary exercises that allow you to practice what you've learned in each of the lessons you've watched, which will greatly increases proficiency in your math. Lastly, there is a large community of people and educators that can help you on Khan Academy. You can join discussions or ask for help whenever you need, making Khan Academy a great learning aid.

However, for those who are confident in their math skills and wish to improve further themselves in the path mathematics, there is another site of great value to you. While Khan Academy's videos stretch far to the difficult mathematical subjects such as trigonometry and calculus, The Art of Problem Solving is the best source for learning higher level maths. Designed specifically for mathematical aficionados, AoPS helps them achieve more by exposing many mathematical concepts and topics that are not taught in school.

There are many ways you can utilize this site to improve your math skills for free, such as exploring Alcumus, which has thousands of challenging math questions, For the Win, where you can challenge others to mini-competitions online, or join the community, which has thousands of people taking part in discussions on various topics about math. However, you can also take online courses that is available several times each year. These courses are taught by very capable teachers and will greatly accelerate your abilities in math. AoPS is an unique and powerful website dedicated to math, and is a definite choice for those who are truly interested in the field of mathematics.

With math in your toolbox of life, you can live more confidently and fully, knowing that you understand one of the fundamentals concepts of the universe.